


Open Secret

by belncaz



Series: KnB Event stories [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), AoKuro Week 2016, Friends to Lovers, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-18
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 04:04:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6889237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belncaz/pseuds/belncaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aomine is moving back to Tokyo after several years in Kyoto to be closer to his parents. He ends up moving in with Kuroko and things get gradually more intense for the two roommates. As it turns out, Nigou's a better matchmaker than Momoi is.</p><p>For AoKuro Week 2016, day 7 "it was you all along" prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is my first time writing for AoKuro, so happy AoKuro Week 2016! For the Day 7 “it was you all along” prompt, although I’m a little late and it didn’t turn out how I wanted it to, unfortunately. 
> 
> Chapter 1 is basically a super long rambling intro, chapter 2 has some NSFW content and then an attempted fluffy ending.

Open Secret

* * *

 

There were four keys on Kuroko’s keychain. One each for his mailbox, apartment, the faculty lounge at school, and his parents’ home. They were all just small pieces of metal, but they were part of him, each in their own way. Kuroko was idly flipping through them, his fingers running over the ridges and edges distractedly as he waited for the bus after leaving work. His students had not been particularly disruptive and he’d finished grading their assignments before leaving for the day.

He was waiting patiently, staring sightlessly at an advertisement across the street. The air was heavy at this time of the afternoon, filled with the accumulation of long hours of commuters’ traffic, spiced from the offerings of nearby restaurants, and an occasional waft of something that was unidentifiable even as it was familiar, it all came together somehow. People milled around him, some stopping nearby to join the queue, others bustling into stores or simply making their way onwards. Kuroko wasn’t thinking about anything in particular, and so when his phone rang with a quiet but insistent tone, he rummaged in his satchel to locate the device and answer it.

He was surprised to see Momoi’s name flash on the caller ID but answered easily enough. “Momoi-san? How are you?”

Her voice came through the line immediately, but it sounded anxious rather than containing her normal cheerfulness. “Tetsu-kun, I have an enormous favor to ask! Dai-chan is coming into town tonight and I have just been given a last minute assignment before I can leave for the night. Can you meet him at the station and look after him until I am free? You know how he gets into trouble if he’s on his own!”

Kuroko smiled at the commentary, ready to agree before she’d even finished. “Of course, Momoi-san. What train is he coming in on? I’ll go collect him and babysit while you finish.”

Momoi’s relieved sigh was nearly comical but she hastily related the details, thanking Kuroko for his help. Kuroko assured her it was no trouble and disconnected. He exited the small huddle waiting for the bus and instead walked the few blocks it took to get to the train station. He would only have to wait a few minutes before Aomine’s train arrived. And despite it having been a year since they’d seen each other, Aomine’s eyes wasted no time in locating Kuroko as he waited near the exit. But Aomine had an advantage, Kuroko hadn’t been invisible to him in a long time. Momoi had sent a text to him letting Aomine know of the switch and it was all he needed to scan the crowd and locate his former shadow.

Aomine smiled once he saw Kuroko, an easy grin that lightened up his whole face and made his way toward his friend.  Kuroko knew Aomine was coming back to apartment-hunt, he’d moved away for a while to be a police officer in Kyoto, but after his father had a health scare he’d made immediate plans to transfer to his hometown of Tokyo. The paperwork was mostly done, he just needed to secure housing before he reported to his assigned precinct on Monday. It gave him only a few days to find something, but there hadn’t been too much worry, if nothing else he would stay with either Satsuki or his parents until he found his own lodgings.

“Yo, Tetsu! I see Satsuki cried off and you’re stuck with me instead. How’ve you been?” Aomine’s voice hadn’t changed, it still exuded a rumbling depth that seemed to combine a just-woke-up rasp with a layer of charm. Kuroko had no doubt it worked well on anyone the handsome policeman was interviewing, as it could switch between friendly concern to menacing intimidation as needed.

“Good afternoon, Aomine-kun. Momoi-san was upset she was delayed, but I was already nearby anyway. I have been well, thank you. And you? I hope the journey was pleasant?” For his part, Kuroko’s voice hadn’t changed much either – it was still mostly monotone and difficult to interpret. For Aomine, though, he was just able to discern the hint of happiness his friend was expressing at seeing him again.

“My dad’s health aside, things are great. I’m looking forward to starting work here on Monday and hope to find somewhere to live fairly quickly. It’s good to see you Tetsu, let’s go get something to eat, yeah? I’m starving!”

Kuroko smiled at this, the taller man was always hungry. “Yes, let’s get you fed. Is that all you brought?” He waved inquiringly to the small suitcase and messenger bag Aomine had exited with.

Aomine nodded. “I didn’t have much in Kyoto anyway. I’ll get what I need as it comes up.”

“In that case, we’ll drop your stuff off at my apartment first and then go get dinner. Once Momoi-san is free we’ll regroup.”

Nodding agreeably enough, Aomine fell into step beside Kuroko as they made their way to the bus station Kuroko had just left.  Once they boarded, it was a quick twenty-minute ride and five-minute walk to arrive at Kuroko’s apartment.  They entered and removed their shoes, but didn’t make it much further before an excited bark was heard and unconsciously the two shared a smile as Nigou came bounding over to greet them.

Aomine immediately scooped up the dog, who had stayed small despite their high school predictions he was destined to be a large-framed canine. He had no reservations about cuddling the animal, his deep voice expressing his delight at seeing the dog again. Kuroko just shook his head exasperatedly.

“I see how it is, Nigou. I finally bring someone over and you can’t be bothered to even say hello to me anymore, is that it?” He was only teasing, but as his hand reached up to ruffle the dog’s head while Aomine held him, Kuroko couldn’t blame the dog – Aomine had always been tremendously affectionate with Nigou.

Kuroko shot a small smile at them and took Aomine’s suitcase out of the entry way and moved it neatly to the side so it would be out of the way. He didn’t rush the little reunion; he knew Aomine had always wanted a dog but he hadn’t been able to have one growing up. It appeared he hadn’t gotten one while he was away, either. So Kuroko was happy enough to let the other indulge himself for now. It was good for Nigou, too. The dog was an adult now, but he’d retained his puppyish willingness to play and he clearly remembered Aomine from his last visit.

Finally, however, Nigou must have remembered what time of day it was and he squirmed to get down before going and sitting in front of Kuroko with an imploring look on his face. “Ah, I see you finally remembered who feeds you, then. Come on, Nigou.” And the dog ran ahead to wait by his bowl.

“I just need to scoop some food into his bowl and then we can leave. Give some thought about what you want for dinner.” Kuroko disappeared without waiting for Aomine to agree and soon the tell-tale sound of kibble pouring down into a bowl and the eager crunching as Nigou devoured his meal was heard. Kuroko returned within moments, shaking his head. “I doubt he’d stop for anything right now; you’d think he was starved the way he always carries on at mealtimes.”

Aomine grinned. “He’s just going after what he wants, nothing too unusual in that, is there? Speaking of mealtimes…” he let the sentence trail off and there was a remarkable similarity between Aomine’s head-tilt and pleading blue eyes and the way Nigou had looked mere moments before. Kuroko kept that observation to himself – as cute as it was, he doubted Aomine would appreciate the comparison.

“Yes, yes. I haven’t forgotten. What are you in the mood for, Aomine-kun?”

Aomine started to say something but paused to think for a moment. “Let’s go to Kagami’s and Murasakibara’s place. I kept meaning to try it when I visited and never got the chance, but I’ve heard it is doing well. I’d rather try it with you than go by myself, if that’s okay?”

Kuroko nodded. “I’m surprised, Aomine-kun, I thought for sure you’d say Maji Burger. I have been before and it is good, I think you’ll like it.

Kagami and Murasakibara had teamed up to open a restaurant after Kagami had been injured on the job as a firefighter and forced to retire. He hadn’t strictly needed to work as his family was rich, but Kagami wasn’t the type to sit idly by and he’d jumped on the opportunity that had started half in jest, but had become a very successful reality. Akashi, who’d taken over his father’s company, had allowed them first-chance to scoop up a desirable location he’d just acquired and things had fallen into place after that – it was now a very highly rated establishment that combined eastern and western cuisines in a business-casual setting.

“I can have Maji Burger anytime, but who knows the next time our schedules will be compatible?” Aomine said this casually, but it was true. Kuroko had a fairly set timetable as a teacher, but Aomine’s would vary tremendously depending on his case load.

“You’re right. Well then, let’s go.” And after calling out a quiet good bye to Nigou, Kuroko and Aomine put their shoes back on and left – with Aomine having retrieved his wallet and phone, but otherwise leaving his belongings in Kuroko’s hallway.

Once they arrived, they were seated quickly. The restaurant was almost always busy, but it thankfully wasn’t the type of place you needed to reserve six months in advance to have dinner there, especially as this was just at the cusp of the true dinner rush. They fit in here, with Aomine in an oxford-shirt and tie and pressed black trousers, and Kuroko in a neat sweater with coordinating pants. It wasn’t long after they were seated that they easily lapsed back into a familiar pattern of conversation, once Aomine had come back to himself in high school, he and Kuroko had renewed their friendship and kept in touch.

They placed their orders – Aomine was trying the “Deviled Special,” which warned only those with a true taste for spiciness should even attempt to eat it. Naturally, Aomine took this as a personal challenge from his former rival and ordered it without hesitation, even though Kuroko warned him that the dish wasn’t labeled that way by accident. When Aomine refused to be deterred, Kuroko could only shake his head and ordered a small salad and dumpling platter that he’d had before and enjoyed. He was truly saving room for dessert. Murasakibara was in charge of the sweets and the dessert menu was famous in its own right – including Kuroko’s favorite, the Cloud Cake, which was a wedge of vanilla cream cake served with homemade ice-cream.

On hearing someone had ordered the fiery dish, Kagami actually left the kitchen to see who it was and broke into a smile to see Aomine and Kuroko. He walked over, smiling. “I’m not surprised it’s you that ordered it, Aomine. Good to see you again, I heard from Momoi you’re moving back?”

The two of them exchanged a quick conversation on this before Kagami had to return to the kitchen. His eyes swept consideringly over the two before speaking to Kuroko as he left. “I’ll tell Murasakibara you’re here, he’ll want to ensure your cake is perfect after all. Enjoy your meals, we’ll have to catch up another time.”

Aomine shook his head in mock dismay but agreed with a smile. The two of them hadn’t exactly become the best of friends, but they did respect each other and that had turned into a friendship that had surprised the both of them. Still, when Kagami had been hospitalized from an accident on the job, Aomine had come down from Kyoto to check on him and had been encouraging when Kagami and Murasakibara had formed their plans to go into business together.

Kuroko’s phone buzzed while this was happening and with a polite “Excuse me,” to Aomine, he checked his messages. It was Momoi-san again, and she’d sent a text saying she was on her way and what she wanted to eat – they’d let her know their destination. Kuroko typed out an affirmative and went ahead and placed an order for her when their waiter returned to refresh their drinks.

Aomine quirked an eyebrow, “Satsuki’s on her way then?”

His companion nodded. “It looks like she finished more quickly than she originally thought. She’ll be here soon.”

Aomine took a sip of his drink before responding. “Then before she gets here, thanks for meeting me. It’s not like I don’t know the area after all, but it was still nice to be met by a familiar face.”

Kuroko couldn’t quite stop the slight blush that rose at those words. “Of course, you’re both my friends so it wasn’t exactly a hardship. I’m glad you’ll be back in town, Aomine-kun. I missed you.”

“I’m sure you’re staying busy with work of course, but what else have you been up to? Satsuki keeps telling me she’s been trying to set you up on dates and you refuse to go – which causes no end of frustration for her, as I am sure you know.”

Kuroko laughed a little. Once Momoi had finally resigned herself to the fact that Kuroko viewed her only as a friend – although a cherished one – she’d made it her mission to ensure she found him the perfect partner. She’d been nearly relentless in her efforts to ascertain what his type was and Kuroko had found himself politely refusing set-ups with all manner of female acquaintances that Momoi had acquired.

“Aomine-kun, I don’t think you would be surprised to hear that Momoi-san is a very determined woman. But as I have tried to explain to her, I am not interested in her friends.” He didn’t explain further and Aomine paused as he put something together.

“When we were at your apartment you joked about Nigou and ‘finally’ bringing someone over. I didn’t think anything of that until just now, but surely you’re not saying you haven’t dated at all, Tetsu?”

Kuroko shrugged. “I’m afraid so, Aomine-kun. It would seem my type is very limited and Momoi-san hasn’t quite managed to uncover it yet.”

Aomine was startled. It wasn’t that he had given a lot of thought to Tetsu’s sex life, or lack of one for that matter, but they were young men in their mid-twenties, it was surely time the other made that step? “But Tetsu – “ he was cut off before he could finish as Tetsu’s blue eyes looked up into his and he spoke with a noticeable edge of humor.

“Aomine-kun, I assure you it isn’t the end of the world. I am not unhappy. And from what I have heard from Momoi-san, it would seem you will be subjected to her matchmaking skills soon enough. I would worry on your own account since she has a much stronger idea of your type.” Kuroko grinned, but inwardly he felt a wave of sadness. He knew Aomine-kun’s type too, and it wasn’t something he could do anything about. But he buried those thoughts, it wasn’t Aomine’s fault that Kuroko had been in love with him for so many years.

An inexplicable flush rose on Aomine’s face. He started to say something but was interrupted when Satsuki arrived in a flurry of excited speech and waves. Kuroko stood with a smile and embraced Momoi – she had long-since broken down his resistance to this gesture. And then she turned and hugged Aomine before all three of them sat down and began a quick catch up of greetings and sympathetic understandings about the trials of their respective work-weeks.

“Welcome back to Tokyo, Dai-chan! I’m so glad you’ll be nearby again. This will make it so much easier for us all to catch up. As you know, Midorin works at a hospital here and even Ki-chan and Akashi-kun moved back to Tokyo. It’ll be like old times!” She carried on in a wave of happy chatter that included plans for all of them to play basketball and hang out in various capacities. And then her eyes narrowed and she zeroed in on the two of them.

“And of course, I have to find the perfect woman for each of you.” Ever since Momoi had been swept up into an unexpected romance with Wakamatsu, she’d been determined to ensure each of her friends found similar happiness. Kuroko kept hoping Wakamatsu-san would finally propose to Momoi-san so that she would be distracted by wedding plans, but so far that hadn’t happened. As if sensing Kuroko’s train of thought, she looked to him first.

“My company just hired someone new that I think you’ll really like, Tetsu-kun. She’s beautiful in a quiet librarian way, she’s very polite, and she loves dogs! What do you think? Would you be willing to go out with her?”

Kuroko couldn’t have said what possessed him to answer as he did, but it seemed that having two people in a row try to change his relationship status in a most undesired way was his limit. He met her eyes kindly before murmuring quietly, “Momoi-san, I am sure she’s a lovely person, but I am not interested. I prefer men, Momoi-san. I always have.”

The silence that resulted from his statement might have been uncomfortable, but the surprised quiet wasn’t hostile – merely a moment of disorientation. Aomine and Momoi were among Kuroko’s closest friends and while this wasn’t a revelation they’d anticipated, it didn’t change the years of affection and respect between them. Actually, if the glow in Momoi’s eyes was to be understood correctly, all Kuroko had done was finally give her something to work with. He’d been consistently vague when mentioning preferences and it had frustrated her to no end that she hadn’t been able to produce a winning candidate for him. She immediately began trying to uncover more information before Kuroko finally shut her down with a carefully phrased reminder that they were there to celebrate Aomine-kun’s return.

Aomine’s eyes flashed with something like amused betrayal at Kuroko’s efforts but he understood the other’s actions and he graciously accepted the redirect. Soon enough he had his own reprieve though, as their meals were brought out. Kagami had shown some mercy and sent along a large bread basket for Aomine to help level off some of the spiciness in his meal. This proved necessary as Aomine’s eyes watered and his sinuses cleared with the very first bite. Kuroko and Momoi both laughed at him and he had to admit defeat, sending it back in exchange for a much tamer option of a teriyaki burger. It arrived speedily, giving credence to Kagami’s certainty that Aomine wouldn’t like the dish.

The three of them fell into a comfortable rhythm. This was familiar ground and something they’d done dozens of times over the years. Kuroko’s confession notwithstanding, there wasn’t really much to separate this evening from any other they’d shared in some combination with each other or others from their group of friends. When they’d finished, their waiter asked if they wanted dessert and Kuroko didn’t even wait for the others before ordering his Cloud Cake, causing his companions to smile. Momoi ordered Mochi filled with cherry ice cream and Aomine went with Sata andaagi – Murasakibara had traveled to Okinawa to perfect his technique with these fried buns and they were noted for their authentic flavor and texture.

Murasakibara brought their desserts himself, ruffling Kuroko’s hair as the other expressed his anticipation for the skillfully prepared creation that Murasakibara had produced. Murasakibara nodded to the other two and returned their hopes for catching up soon before he had to head back to the kitchen.

When dessert was finished, rather speedily by Kuroko if truth were told, the three of them discussed their plans. It wasn’t all that late, particularly for a Friday, but it wasn’t as if they hadn’t all had a long day either. They decided it was best to call it an early night since Aomine would be back in town, they’d have more opportunities. Aomine had an early start to the day tomorrow anyway, his realtor was eager to help him locate a place as quickly as possible.

However, as they started to make their way to the station, it suddenly struck Aomine that it would be absurd for all three of them to go to Tetsu’s apartment just to get his stuff and then trek to Satsuki’s place. He leaned down to ask Tetsu about it. “Tetsu, could I just crash at your place tonight? Satsuki lives pretty far from your place, so it would be a long commute for her round trip and my stuff is already at your apartment.”

Kuroko wished he could have stopped the slight thrill of pleasure that shot through him at the idea but he wasn’t that strong, for all that nothing would come of it. He nodded before explaining the plan to Momoi. She in turn was somewhat relieved. Momoi lived close to Aomine’s parents, so that had been the original impetus for him to stay with her, but it really made more sense for him to bunk at Kuroko’s, for tonight at least. Momoi hugged them both before taking off toward her home, extracting a promise from Aomine to let her know as soon as he found a possible contender in his house hunt. He waved her off with an agreement to do that before he and Tetsu made their way back to his apartment.

They didn’t really speak much, they’d covered most of the preliminary things over dinner and silence wasn’t something they had to avoid. Once they arrived, there was the usual hashing out of details that accompanied an overnight guest, with Kuroko pointing out where there were extra towels and ensuring Aomine was made aware he could help himself to anything in the kitchen. After a brief discussion, Aomine headed to shower while Kuroko made up the guest bed - even though Aomine protested he’d be fine on the couch. Kuroko shook his head, obviously prepared to ignore his friend on this front.

He went about his self-assigned task easily enough, obtaining clean sheets from the closet and fitting the bed with them speedily but neatly. It wasn’t until he was putting a pillow into its case that Kuroko suddenly paused, realizing that Aomine was naked. In his shower. Using his soap and his shampoo. And he’d be wet. And still naked.

Fuck. That wasn’t something he’d anticipated.

Kuroko didn’t want to dwell on that image, as enticing as it was. Aomine was his friend, he didn’t need to have Kuroko daydreaming about him like that. So with a brisk mental shake, Kuroko quickly finished making up the bed and left the guestroom.  When Aomine got out and dried off, he padded into the guestroom and changed into an old t-shit and loose pair of athletic shorts – an outfit that was nearly second nature to him.

He heard Kuroko talking to Nigou in the living room and so he headed that way, smiling at seeing the smaller male playfully tease his dog about only being excited to see him because it meant he might get a treat now. Aomine leaned against the doorway as he watched them.

As if he sensed a weak target, Nigou whined piteously, turning to look at Aomine with a pleading expression.

Aomine naturally fell for it and asked hopefully. “Can he not have another treat? He doesn’t look like he’s put on any weight; you must walk him a lot.”

Kuroko looked up in amusement at Aomine’s question, taking in his damp hair and casual clothing. “I usually walk him twice a day to keep the weight off. And while no, normally he wouldn’t get another treat at night, I feel like I would be punishing you if he didn’t get another one. I’ll let you give it to him so he’ll know who to thank.” Kuroko straightened and got the treats, offering the jar to Aomine who took it with a sheepish expression.

“Thanks, Tetsu.” He removed a treat, gave the container back, and then looked down at the dog that was staring up at him worshipfully. He bent down and handed the treat to Nigou, who took it with a surprisingly dainty movement and then happily crunched into it.

Kuroko rolled his eyes, but it was easy enough to see he didn’t really mind. “Want to watch the game?  I record them all since I never know if I’ll have to stay late at school or not.”

There was no need to clarify what game Kuroko meant – for the two of them, it would always be basketball. And the national championship was just starting up in the qualifying rounds so it would be a strong match for sure. Aomine agreed and they soon found themselves on the couch with Nigou between them, watching the sport they knew so well.

However, there was a stray thought running through his brain that kept Aomine from paying full attention to the game. He wondered about Tetsu’s confession – was it really possible he hadn’t known such a thing about the other? But then again…it wasn’t like Tetsu knew his own preferences. It had taken Aomine a long time to understand he liked men – after all he’d been aggressively praising the charms of various well-endowed female idols throughout his school years. And it wasn’t untrue, he did think those women were beautiful. But when it came right down to it, he’d found he preferred an altogether different body type.

He was suddenly overwhelmingly curious about what type of man Tetsu would want to date. Aomine couldn’t really decide and finally, when it became clear the game was not going to be as exciting as either of them had hoped thanks to early foul trouble, he decided to try to ask in a roundabout way.

“Tetsu, why don’t you just tell Satsuki what type of guy you’d be interested in? It’ll save both of you a lot of hassle in the long run.”

Kuroko jumped at the unexpected question and his head turned to look at Aomine in surprise. “Why don’t you let her set you up if you feel that way then?”

Aomine laughed but wasn’t exactly humorous. “Fair enough. I suppose probably for the same reason you don’t. Satsuki’s convinced each new person is the perfect choice, it is exhausting trying to get out of her blind date prospects.”

Kuroko hesitated but then nodded in agreement. “Momoi-san is undeniably an amazing person, but she’s not a miracle worker.”

Aomine shrugged. “Don’t let her hear you say that or you’ll find yourself signed up for every possible mixer she can find on the off chance she can help you land your dream guy.”

It took no acting on Kuroko’s part to shudder in response to those words. He didn’t doubt it in the least. Momoi was scary sometimes.

But Aomine was still curious. “Honestly though, you said you hadn’t dated. I get why you’ve refused the ladies she’s tried to set you up with, but why haven’t you found someone on your own? Do I have to remind you of Satsuki’s Scale of Datability? She ranked you really high from what I remember, with only a small deduction for your difficulty getting noticed. I know it was meant to be for women, but I can’t imagine it wouldn’t translate for men either.”

Kuroko smiled, he definitely couldn’t forget that awful scale. Momoi had concocted it one night while extremely inebriated, but once she’d sobered up she’d worked on it some more until she had actually designed a way to see how much of a ‘catch’ each of them were and how best to match-make on their behalves.  It had been both marginally flattering and supremely embarrassing. But she’d been so pleased with herself that none of them had the heart to truly discourage her. Even though it had also meant she had actual numerical points she was evaluating them on and cross-referencing it with women she encountered in an effort to pair them all off. So far she’d been thwarted across the board. Akashi and Kise had the easiest time of it because they travelled so much for their jobs. Aomine’s relocation to Kyoto had meant he’d only been her target during his brief visits, but now that he was back in Tokyo, he would be part of her campaign. Kagami had agreed to go on several dates, but Midorima and Murasakibara both excused themselves as frequently as possible.

“Aomine-kun…I appreciate that, but I don’t want to talk about this any further.” His voice had dropped and it held a quietly vulnerable tone that alerted Aomine he’d ventured into dangerous territory. “Actually, it’s late, I’m going to go shower and head to bed. You know where everything is, right? I’ll see you in the morning.” And without any further comment, Kuroko got up and left.

Aomine was taken aback. He hadn’t meant to upset Tetsu, but he heard the shower start mere moments later, giving truth to the other’s plans to get ready for bed. And so he was unprepared to glance down and see the mildly accusing look in Nigou’s eyes. He gave a startled laugh. “What, you’re upset with me too? What did I say?” But the dog merely stared at him for a moment longer before lowering his head and closing his eyes, as if Aomine wasn’t even worth the effort to stay awake for any longer.

The game was still playing on the television and Aomine watched a few more minutes before turning it off in frustration, he wasn’t interested. He sat quietly for a moment, thinking. It was admittedly not something he would be given credit for doing often, but since joining the police force he had acquired more discipline. He was also much better at working with small clues in order to find the bigger picture. While he didn’t have enough to come to the answer yet, he did have time. He was back in Tokyo now after all.

Aomine went to the guest room shortly thereafter. He wasn’t able to fall asleep right away despite the comfortable bed. His eyes wandered around the room. It wasn’t an impersonal space, for all that it didn’t really reflect Tetsu very much. The walls were painted a white that held tints of gray, but the sheets and comforter were soft and cozy, made to look like a quilt of patchwork blues and grays. The room might have felt cold like this, if not for the warm brown of a wooden armoire and the framed art prints that featured abstract fractal designs that exploded in swirls of color on the wall.

He propped his head on his arm and puzzled over Tetsu’s odd behavior. Aomine supposed it might simply be that Tetsu was reserved and didn’t want to talk about his potential romantic interests, but it felt as if that wasn’t really the answer. He fell asleep after a while, resolved to find out more if he could.

Aomine wasn’t a morning person. Even when he was going to work, it still took him a while to become fully alert. He figured he should have tried harder to get the real estate agent to start later in the day but he’d hoped the excitement of moving back might change things. It did not. He’d ignored several rounds of his phone’s alarm clock before he heard an inquiring knock on the door and Tetsu’s voice came through.

“Aomine-kun? What time is your appointment? It is 7:15, but your alarm has been going off for a while. Shall I come back?”

Aomine groaned but managed to answer. “I’m getting up now. I promise.” He even meant it, but just as he raised himself up, he bargained with himself that he had at least one more alarm set, he could have a few more minutes, couldn’t he? And he was asleep again before he’d even realized it.

Being no stranger to Aomine’s morning difficulties from their time on the road with away games at Teiko, Kuroko had already brewed several cups of coffee and prepared breakfast. He was an early riser himself due to having to get to school early, but this was a Saturday and he’d rather hoped to sleep in a little. Aomine’s alarms hadn’t made that possible and he’d ruefully realized he wouldn’t be having a lazy morning with all this racket.

Kuroko allowed another alarm cycle to pass before he poured some coffee into a mug and took it to the guestroom. He knocked perfunctorily, knowing there was no real point since Aomine wasn’t really awake. Receiving no response, he opened the door and entered. He paused as he saw the other man – Aomine had thrown the blanket to the side in an apparent well-meaning effort to get up before. He was on his side now, one arm outstretched across his pillow as if reaching for someone and the other curled under the pillow in a half-hug. His shirt had ridden up just enough for Kuroko to see the sharp angles of his hips and some of the clearly defined muscles of his lower abdomen. Kuroko shook his head; it was amazing that even in his sleep Aomine managed to fascinate him. He took the cup over to the bedside table and left it there, hoping the aroma would help rouse Aomine to wakefulness with the next alarm. Kuroko saw the angrily lit up phone – it was nearly apoplectic with missed alarm alerts. He scooped it up and saw from the indicator there was at least one more to go, but he decided to make it more difficult to ignore and moved the phone to a small shelf across the room. Aomine would have to get up to turn it off at least.

He slipped out of the room after that, setting out plates for the meal. He was gratified that Aomine could be heard cursing with the next alarm’s blaring command. A small smile crossed Kuroko’s face, it seemed Aomine had discovered the phone had been moved. Aomine came out of the room a few moments later, his hair sleep-rumpled but nothing like Kuroko’s own bedhead, which he’d already tamed. Aomine had the coffee cup in hand and soon joined him at the table, sliding into the chair with a scowl that was much closer to a pout than to a threat.

“Dirty pool, Tetsu.” His voice was even lower than usual with a hoarseness lent from sleep and perhaps a little bit of crankiness.

“It is not my fault you aren’t a morning person, Aomine-kun. I was only trying to help ensure you don’t miss your appointment since your timeline is somewhat abbreviated.” If his pious tone was also just a little amused, well there was no helping it really.

Aomine grunted and just continued sipping his coffee, pausing only to take bites of the meal Tetsu had set out. It took a little longer but gradually the caffeine hit his brain and the food revived him. It was with a nearly audible “click” of his disposition changing, but it was easy enough to see in the way his posture loosened and his eyes stopped squinting against the unwelcome morning light filtering in through the kitchen window.

“Good morning, Aomine-kun.” Kuroko’s playful comment drew attention to the obvious change in Aomine’s demeanor but the other male was now awake enough for it not to bother him and he merely shrugged.

“Thanks, Tetsu. I’m not my best first thing in the morning. But at least I won’t miss the appointment.”

Kuroko smiled and nodded. “I’m glad. I know this move is happening kind of suddenly, but I hope you’ll be able to find a good place.”

Suddenly inspired, Aomine straightened in his chair. “Hey, what are your plans today, Tetsu? Want to come with me to look?” He offered this impetuously, but even as the words left his mouth, Aomine was certain it would be a good idea for Tetsu to go with him.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow in surprise. “I didn’t have any specific plans. I could go with you if you want.”

And that was how Kuroko found himself checking out apartments all over Tokyo with Aomine on a Saturday that he’d really earmarked for staying in with a newly acquired book. So his good humor was put to the test when Aomine seemed to reject prospects out of hand for the most ridiculous of reasons – that one didn’t have an eat-in kitchen, this one was painted oddly, another lacked a second parking space for the tenant. When Kuroko pointed out he wasn’t intending to have a roommate and only needed one space, Aomine dismissed it with a shrug. The realtor was keeping her smile in place but it seemed to be getting a little sharper by the time they’d gone through and rejected nearly twenty properties.

Sensing this, Kuroko pulled Aomine off to a side room in the latest one to not meet Aomine’s standards with an apologetic glance at the woman escorting them. “Aomine-kun, you are being remarkably picky. It’s not like you have to stay in one of these forever, are all of them so objectionable you couldn’t make it at least through a single lease period while you look for something else?”

He didn’t meet Tetsu’s eyes. Honestly he knew he was being unreasonable but he couldn’t even explain it to himself. After a moment of silence, with Tetsu waiting for his answer, he finally just shrugged. “I don’t know. I like your apartment, I want something like that.”

Kuroko closed his eyes and let out a breath with a soft exhale. They’d looked at a few different options that were quite close to his apartment in fact, so that wasn’t really the issue. He opened his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest for a minute before he offered quietly, “Aomine-kun, this move is happening a little quickly on top of the stress of starting a new job and your dad’s health. Maybe picking an apartment isn’t the best option right now. Do you just want to stay with me for a little while until you have some breathing space?”

Aomine’s head jerked to stare at the other. It seemed like such a blindingly perfect solution – he’d have time to settle into his new job and Tetsu was his friend, a much option that a stranger or living by himself. He didn’t question his good fortune. “I’d appreciate that, Tetsu, if you’re sure it wouldn’t be a problem?”

Kuroko shrugged. “Well, at the very least it will save your new precinct from having to investigate your homicide. The realtor is not happy with you, Aomine-kun. But I have the spare room so you might as well make use of it. We can work out more details as we go along, but at least for now, I don’t think it should be an issue.” Because Kuroko was absolutely, one hundred percent, not going to let out his secret even with the object of his long-time infatuation living in such close proximity. It wouldn’t be for that long, he could handle it.

Aomine grinned with a little self-deprecation. “I’ll apologize to her.” And he did, going back to the other room and sheepishly admitting that he might not be ready today but he appreciated her time. The realtor looked archly at the two of them, assumptions about the nature of their relationship running rampant through her brain but she only smiled and asked that if things changed he remember her.

They left and returned to Kuroko’s apartment, with Aomine feeling energized and Kuroko wavering somewhere between tiredness and uncertainty. Aomine called Momoi to let her know he was temporarily moving in with Kuroko, and then he went to visit his parents. Kuroko gave him a spare key and he was a little amused that this was the first time he'd ever done such a thing. His parents had a key of course, but there had never been cause for them to use it.

Kuroko was honestly relieved to have the space to himself for a moment. It wasn’t that he regretted his invitation, but he hadn’t had time to think it over and he realized that there would need to be some adjustments. He didn’t waste time and he removed some coats and sweaters he’d stored in the guest room to ensure Aomine had enough space. After that, Kuroko realized he’d never lived with someone that wasn’t a family member before. He didn’t know if he needed to prepare anything else but he felt anxious. And so he started to clean. He was a naturally tidy person so it didn’t take him long to freshen things up, but soon enough he’d scrubbed counters and floors, vacuumed and swept, dusted and straightened items around the small dwelling. He even began evaluating the freshness of the spices stored in the cupboard before he realized he was fussing unnecessarily. It was Aomine after all, Kuroko doubted he’d progressed very far in his culinary skills anyway.

With that realization, Kuroko suddenly had no more energy. He scrubbed his face with his hands tiredly, wondering why he bothered. For all he knew Aomine was going to wreck the place, or he might even decide to try again tomorrow with his apartment hunting. There was no real timeline after all. Aomine had moved back so he could see his parents more frequently but otherwise he had no particular obligations beyond what his job required. Kuroko didn’t know why that depressed him but it did. He went into the bathroom and washed his face and hands before stumbling to his bed for a nap – it had been a long day.

Aomine returned after Kuroko had fallen asleep but even he could tell the apartment had been spruced up. It made him feel unexpectedly abashed, he realized he was causing more work for Kuroko even though the other had agreed to let him stay there. Nigou came trotting out to greet him and Aomine inadvertently grinned at what already felt familiar. Aomine glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing it was late and from what he could discern, his roommate hadn't eaten dinner. It was true that Aomine was no culinary prodigy like Kagami or Murasakibara, but living a bachelor's lifestyle in Kyoto meant he'd acquired the basic skills necessary to keep himself alive – including some rudimentary cooking knowledge. He checked the fridge and pantry and was satisfied he could make something with what was there.

Nigou was happy to supervise his efforts and Aomine somewhat furtively snuck the dog a few samples along the way. He couldn't stop himself, there was just something about the pleading look in those eyes that rendered him helpless. Once he got the meal underway he went to wake up Tetsu to see if he was hungry.

Aomine knocked softly on the door before opening it and he could see Tetsu was asleep. He glanced around curiously, he’d been in Tetsu’s room before but it had been brief – just to poke his head in really. The room was neat, as he’d expect, but there was an unexpectedly whimsical element as well. He saw small crafts and pictures that must have come from various students Tetsu had had over the past few years proudly displayed on a shelf, there were some of these in the living room, too. A rug woven in various shades of blue and cream sat off to the side, but the floor was bare otherwise. A bookshelf was crammed full of titles that looked like they’d been read more than once and several framed photos sat on top of it – Aomine already knew they were group shots from Teiko and Seirin, with a few random assorted candid photos as well. Tetsu had a sleekly modern bed and he was currently curled on top of his comforter, sleeping on his side with one arm outstretched and the other folded against his side.

A brief temptation to take revenge for this morning flittered through his brain but Aomine quickly abandoned it with the understanding that he did kind of owe Tetsu right now.  So instead, he just padded over and gently shook the smaller male.

“Tetsu, are you hungry?” His question came out more softly than he really meant for it to, as if once he got closer he was less willing to actually disturb Tetsu.

Kuroko blinked himself awake even as he tried burrowing his head deeper into the pillow. Then his brain kindly reinforced what was going on and Kuroko shot up – bedhead in place – and Aomine wasn’t sure what made him do it, but something about the flushed, sleepily rumpled look compelled him to run his fingers through the other’s hair. He told himself it was just an effort to get the riotous blue locks under control, but it didn’t seem like that was all it was, even to himself.

Although he was surprised, Kuroko stilled at Aomine’s action and carefully kept his face blank, but inwardly he was grateful when the other moved back a little and asked again if he were hungry. Kuroko wasn’t particularly hungry but he didn’t really want to refuse either so he nodded. Aomine smiled and said it was ready before he turned and left. Now that he was more alert, Kuroko could smell that something had been prepared and after running a brush through his hair to get it back in order, he joined Aomine.

He was unprepared for the sight that greeted him and Kuroko nearly choked on a laugh as he saw that Aomine had gone with breakfast for dinner. He’d made a smiley face on both of their plates with a pancake base, eggy eyes, and bacon for smiles. Perhaps in a nod to health, there was a portion of fruit salad in a bowl next to each plate as well. Kuroko didn’t know why, but for some reason seeing this display made him relax about the whole thing.

“Aomine-kun, neither of us are children. But thank you for making dinner.” Kuroko was amused and took his seat with a slight smile in place.

Aomine shrugged, unrepentantly. “I’m not much of a cook so I try to make it fun when I can.”

There wasn’t much to argue with in that statement, Kuroko’s job was trying to get his students interested in trying new things by making it fun after all.  So he agreed and they ate, with Kuroko volunteering to do the clean-up. It would become their pattern over the next few weeks, one would prepare a meal and the other was in charge of cleaning up after it. Neither gave voice to how easily they settled into this rather domestic routine, it was just the way things were.

Gradually Aomine’s presence was more strongly seen around the apartment. Some DVDs that ran toward thrillers and criminal procedurals found their way among the documentaries and mysteries that Kuroko favored, his deodorant and toothbrush appeared in the bathroom, and there was a noticeable increase in the amount of dog treats that were stored in the cabinet. Kuroko started to scold Aomine about this but the taller man just laughed and said he’d play with Nigou enough to balance it out, and so he did. It was true he hadn’t brought a lot of stuff with him, but step-by-step, the space became less one he was simply borrowing, and much more one that was his own. Kuroko didn’t mind for the most part – Aomine was a far more considerate roommate than he’d really held out hope for.

What was getting to him was something else entirely – the touches. Casual half-hugs, friendly hair ruffles, slight punches on the arm, even a fist bump or two. None of them were beyond what had characterized their relationship in the past, but before, Aomine hadn’t been in only a towel wrapped around his waist. It was starting to get to him, to see Aomine in all stages of undress and then realize it didn’t exactly get better when he’d put on his uniform, or a suit. Kuroko was going slightly stir-crazy. But he didn’t ask Aomine to stop – he didn’t want Aomine to feel awkward around him for one thing.

Kuroko couldn’t have known Aomine was starting to go a little crazy himself. Living with Tetsu was like being constantly reminded of what it was it was like to have someone that just understood you, and always had. This would have been alright on its own, but then he developed a fixation with seeing the other male blush. He didn’t entirely know why; he wasn’t really a bully after all. But when Aomine had first noticed that Tetsu would redden if they touched even in the most accidental of ways, or avert his eyes, worry his lip with his teeth, or god help him, all three, suddenly Aomine wanted to induce these reactions on a very regular basis. This impulse confused him and as time went on, he began feeling a little uncertain about what he was doing - or why he was doing it. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some NSFW material - if that bothers you, please turn back now.

* * *

 

The atmosphere in the apartment gradually turned tense because of it even though neither of them said anything. It might have gone on that way indefinitely, if not for an unfortunate game of hide and seek at Kuroko’s school.

Kuroko was excellent at the game himself, there was no worry on that score. But when a student who had chosen to hide in a tree suddenly developed a fear of heights and Kuroko had gone to rescue him, he’d ended up getting kicked and punched for his trouble and pushed out of the tree – resulting in quite a few scrapes and bruises. The child had apologized profusely and Kuroko had smiled weakly in acceptance while trying to prevent a discomforted moan from escaping. Another teacher took charge of his class for the remainder of recess while he made his way to the infirmary. The taciturn and elderly nurse dabbed a healthy amount of disinfectant over the abrasions, patched him up with cartoon-character bandages and brusquely sent him on his way with a gruff order to take some over the counter pain tablets as needed. Kuroko nodded and resumed his teaching for the day, but by the end he was aching and just this side of cranky.

Aomine wasn’t there when he returned home, something he was pleased about since he could take a long soak without worrying about inconveniencing his roommate. So after shucking off his clothes, he filled the tub with water and bubbles and climbed in. It was a nearly agonizing bliss as the water went to work on his sore muscles but also aggravated the slightly sore skin. The sensation subsided quickly enough, he wasn’t terribly injured after all and soon he was just enjoying the peaceful quiet. After a while he heard Nigou bark out a welcome – meaning Aomine had returned from his shift. His timing was decent; the water had just gone cool. Kuroko drained the water with a sigh, then rinsed himself under the shower’s spray before he got out and dried off. After he wrapped himself in a loose robe and gathered up his clothes, he exited the bathroom. Kuroko could hear Aomine moving around and he called out a welcome, which Aomine returned.

Kuroko changed into an old t-shirt and trackpants after brushing his hair – it had already dried from the brisk toweling. He made his way to the common area and Aomine took in his outfit with a raised eyebrow. Usually Kuroko stayed dressed in whatever he’d worn that day until he went to his room for the night. But he didn’t comment, it was just as well that Tetsu was relaxing after all.

It wasn’t until his keen eyes caught a slight wince that he asked if Tetsu was okay. Kuroko blinked in surprise but explained what happened readily enough, it was one of the perils of his job but it hadn’t been that big of a deal.

Aomine tried not to laugh but the idea of Tetsu climbing a tree to assist a child and then getting injured for his trouble was so true to form that he couldn’t stop himself. Kuroko allowed it with a vaguely disgruntled air, and all was well until Aomine stopped laughing to tease him.

“That sounds rough, Tetsu. Need me to kiss anything better for you?” It was offered playfully, clearly without any real intention behind it, but it prodded both of them to visualize something that wasn’t quite as innocent as was planned.

Kuroko turned red enough that there would have been sincere cause to fear for his health if he hadn’t managed to answer, stiffly and with as much dignity as he could muster, “No thank you, Aomine-kun. That won’t be necessary. The school nurse already took care of me, I’ll be fine.”

Now Aomine knew the nurse was male from casual stories that Tetsu had shared, but he didn’t have a lot of other details. There was no particular reason for Aomine to imagine this person as a virile young man that was intent on seducing Tetsu, but that was the image that flashed across his brain nonetheless. This time when he spoke, his voice was lower, huskier, and much more deliberate.

“Did he? Let me see then.”

This made Kuroko’s stomach tighten reflexively and he took a step back before realizing he was being absurd and made himself stop. He didn’t understand why Aomine was in this mood, but it wasn’t like Aomine was being serious, it was just an odd joke of some type. He forced a laugh and shook his head, prepared to forget the incident altogether as he turned to go into the kitchen to begin making dinner.

Aomine had always been fast, and he hadn’t noticeably slowed down from his high school speed thanks to his dedication to staying in shape for his job. So it was the work of only a few steps to cut Tetsu off and gently but insistently back him against the wall. He lowered his head before murmuring, “I want to see you’re not hurt. Show me.”

Kuroko let out a gasp of surprise before he felt himself get unaccountably angry. “Aomine-kun, you’re being ridiculous. Let me go.” He didn’t struggle, Aomine wasn’t hurting him and he didn’t think the joke would be funny to the other for much longer anyway. He was partially right about that – it wasn’t funny for Aomine in the least.

While he didn’t have a plan, exactly, all Aomine knew was that right then he wanted Tetsu’s clothes to be somewhere besides on his body. He didn’t even bother lying to himself that it was about checking the other’s injuries. This was something far less civilized than that. He ran a hand down to the hemline of Tetsu’s shirt, fiddling with it for a moment before he answered the other’s demand with a question.

“Do you really want me to let you go, Tetsu?” There was a slight rasp, almost a purr in his voice, and being so close meant it seemed to hit Kuroko’s nerves with maximum impact and he shivered in response. Aomine took that as encouragement and slipped his hand under the shirt to lightly trace his fingertips over Kuroko’s abdomen.

“What are you doing, Aomine-kun?” Kuroko’s voice was just unsteady enough that Aomine didn’t insult either of their intelligences by pretending to misunderstand.

“If you’ll let me, I think I’m getting ready to fuck you.” It was much too blunt and Kuroko’s eyes shot open in shock before his hands clenched as if trying to keep hold of himself.

Kuroko opened his mouth to ask a question, but Aomine cut him off before he could get anything out. “I like men, Tetsu. It was something I realized in Kyoto…and acted on, although I didn’t manage a long-term relationship out of it. And you…well, it’s always been you, hasn’t it?” He leaned in and captured Kuroko’s lips, going slowly, gently, far more so than Kuroko would have expected but then again, there was nothing about this that was what he’d imagined.

Almost before he could think about it, Kuroko found his arms reaching up and his hands going around Aomine’s neck to bury his fingers in the other’s hair. He felt warm and already it seemed like Aomine’s presence was overwhelming him, but there was familiarity there, too – hadn’t he always been this way? Kuroko felt himself relaxing into Aomine’s hold without realizing he was doing it, but Aomine understood.

The taller male broke their kiss carefully, staring down and liking the way Tetsu’s lips were already slightly swollen and how his tongue peeped out to trace an unconscious invitation. He need not worry, Aomine had every intention of taking him up on it. But first, they needed to go to his bedroom. Aomine would ordinarily not be bothered by the idea of having sex in the kitchen, but unless he had severely misunderstood Tetsu’s earlier comments, he was about to take the other man’s virginity and he had just enough restraint to aim for a bed with that in mind. Call it a very marginal remnant of pseudo-chivalry but it was something at least.

Aomine unwrapped Tetsu’s hands from his hair, keeping one in his custody and tugging him along down the hall. He didn’t guide them to Tetsu’s room, he headed toward his own. For one, he knew he had condoms and lube, he very much doubted Tetsu was so well stocked. For another, the bed in his room was blessed with something Tetsu’s didn’t have – slats in the headboard that would be perfect for keeping Tetsu restrained. But he didn’t feel the need to explain his reasoning on that front, that would be for later anyway.

Once the door safely closed behind them Aomine didn’t waste time as he again backed Tetsu against a wall. His hands moved to hold Tetsu’s head steady and he was soon coaxing him into a kiss that had them both panting by its end. While Tetsu wasn’t trying to take control of the kiss by any means, he didn’t simply stand there either. He was doing what he’d always done with Aomine, he followed the other’s lead in a way that mirrored, complemented, and enhanced the course Aomine was pursuing.

Kuroko quickly found himself raising his arms as Aomine began tugging his shirt up and there was a small break in the tension as Aomine chuckled lowly at the kid-friendly bandages that were revealed once the garment was off. His hands moved lightly over the small injuries before whispering, “It seems I need to kiss you better after all.”

But Aomine didn’t go for a direct route. With a quiet, “Stay still,” Aomine began exploring whatever skin he could reach. Kuroko became grateful for the wall at his back as he wasn’t entirely confident about his ability to stay upright by the time Aomine’s mouth reached his stomach – the other was now kneeling in front of him with a wicked light in his eyes. His hand moved to rub Kuroko’s burgeoning erection through his pants, eliciting a harsh moan of surprised pleasure. Kuroko might have been embarrassed if he’d had enough experience to realize how quickly he’d been turned on, but this was all new to him. He only knew this felt different from anything else in his memory, even his own experience with masturbation hadn’t prepared him for this.

Aomine stared up at Tetsu, taking in his quick but shallow breath and how flushed his skin had become. He looked excited, confused, and certainly he was aroused but almost even more importantly – he didn’t look scared. Aomine wasn’t going to question his luck too far with this, but one thing he was absolutely set on was that he wasn’t going to do a damn thing that Tetsu didn’t want him to.

He moved his mouth to hover over the fabric that was tenting and had a small damp spot from Kuroko’s precum. Aomine stayed still for a moment, drawing the anticipation out to a degree that was just this side of cruel and he grinned to himself as Tetsu fidgeted anxiously. Aomine spoke against the cloth, his breath misting out in a wave that was too brief to even truly be a tease. “Does it hurt here, too, Tetsu?”

Kuroko’s eyes widened with an embarrassed and excited understanding. “Aomine-kun…please…” he couldn’t finish; Kuroko knew what Aomine was suggesting but he didn’t know how to ask for it, how to give permission for something he hadn’t even allowed himself to fantasize about.

Perhaps Aomine realized that and took a little pity on him, because he tugged Kuroko’s pants and underwear down in a smooth motion, carefully lifting each foot up to remove the entangled fabric in turn. And just like that, Kuroko was absolutely naked in front of one of his best friends and his longtime crush. Who was still completely dressed. Aomine wasn’t an idiot though, and he didn’t allow enough time to pass for Kuroko to do more than have that thought fly through his head before he did something that cause Kuroko’s mind to go blank anyway.

Aomine’s hand moved to cup the sensitive skin covering Tetsu’s balls and he gently manipulated them while his lips began a concentrated exploration of the tip of Tetsu’s erection. If asked, he might have admitted he was deliberately aiming to drive Tetsu crazy, but Tetsu didn’t have the coherence to question his actions and Aomine certainly wasn't going to volunteer that information.  Aomine waited until he heard the strangled gasp of response before he began sliding his mouth more fully around Tetsu until he was swallowing the engorged flesh and Kuroko’s hands had griped his hair in a tight, panicked hold. Aomine reached up with one hand and reassuringly stroked over Tetsu’s grip before he returned to get better leverage against Tetsu’s hips and thighs.

This wasn’t actually something Aomine had done very many times before but he’d received enough of it to know what he enjoyed and simply redirected that to Kuroko. He also had two significant advantages here – Tetsu almost certainly hadn’t done this at all, and Aomine knew how to read him. He pushed Tetsu faster than was probably fair, but while Aomine wanted him to feel good, he wasn’t the most patient person in the world and he was feeling a near unholy urgency take hold of him to claim Tetsu somehow and it wasn’t an instinct he felt particularly driven to fight.

So when Tetsu’s legs started trembling and he tried to say something but could only gasp out Aomine’s name, the other man gave a slight hum of satisfaction that pulsed over Tetsu’s already highly-stimulated flesh and it took no more than a firm press of his tongue against the underside of the head and a teasing trace along his balls before Tetsu was sent over the edge. Aomine didn’t let him escape the sensation that easily though and even as he swallowed the evidence of Tetsu’s climax, he was already moving to stroke the exposed skin. He looked up and was gratified to see how utterly stunned Tetsu looked. Aomine grinned to himself. He’d never tell anyone this of course, but Tetsu was easy.

He let Tetsu ride out the small aftershocks, pressing a few soft kisses to his stomach until the spasms stilled. The quiet of the room was broken only by Tetsu’s harsh pants and the expectation that there was more to come. Aomine rose to his feet. He then did something that Tetsu would probably yell at him for at any other time, but he was too pleasure blown to protest at the moment. And, as he reasoned with himself, there wasn’t really another situation in which he would do this particular maneuver anyway. So Aomine scooped Tetsu up over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold and then turned to topple him down onto the mattress.

Once he hit the mattress, it occurred to Kuroko that Aomine was getting a complete view of his body and he automatically started to curl over in a belatedly bashful response. Aomine was there in an instant, his frame caging Kuroko’s arms away from himself and his own body keeping the smaller man’s legs open. It reinforced the discrepancies between them – Aomine was much taller and stronger, more experienced, and of particular significance right at that moment – he was fully clothed. Kuroko’s body was still on edge and the rasp of fabric against his so-recently sensitized skin was somehow both delicious and painful. He found himself pushing against Aomine, but whether it was for more contact or less he couldn’t say.

Aomine, thankfully, didn’t really care either way and simply rotated his hips in a slow, torturous grind. He didn’t stop until Tetsu whimpered and his body seemed to relax slightly – it was a subtle sign of his submission but Aomine would take it. He released Tetsu’s arms and was rewarded when the other reached up to grip his shoulders and exerted pressure in a clear demand for Aomine to lower himself. He acquiesced and then it was a moment lost to heated kisses and Tetsu's clumsy but enthusiastic efforts to demonstrate he wanted to continue. Aomine could sympathize, he was in the same boat after all.

He broke away for a moment and got off the bed in a hurry, sending a reassuring but heated look the other's way at the anxious sound that escaped Tetsu. He wasn't going far. Aomine grabbed a small bottle and a few packets of condoms from their hiding place, dropping them on the bedside table to be in easy reach. Kuroko blushed anew, recognizing not only what those items were but also what it signified, he managed to meet Aomine's gaze despite his obvious discomfort. Aomine smiled, he wouldn't admit this, but Tetsu's flustered determination was turning him on in a big way.

When he got back on the bed Aomine had a near-predatory energy around him. It was a different manifestation of the intensity he brought with him to games and solving his cases in fact. It meant the same thing though and something in that aura was familiar enough to send a warning through Tetsu because he scooted back a little in reaction. Aomine shook his head in a silent rebuke, he wasn't going to have that. Tetsu could tell him to stop, but otherwise he wasn't allowed to get away from him. Kuroko saw the expression for what it was and again stopped himself from retreating. The smile that Aomine showed him in response was nearly lethal for the way it made his insides churn.

It took barely a moment for Aomine to slide over to Tetsu and despite his more feral inclination, he still delayed for a few minutes to stroke Tetsu in a way that was meant to calm him. It did, in part. But Aomine's dedication to that pace was short lived and soon he was interested in resuming the more provocative touches.

Before he went any farther, Aomine reached down to unfasten his pants and shoved both them and his underwear down just enough to give him room. Tetsu's eyes went automatically to Aomine's arousal and although he took in a steadying breath, there was no pointless protest that surely it wasn't going to fit. Kuroko trusted Aomine and his previous admission that he had done this before – while eliciting a brief flare of possessive jealousy – also made Kuroko more confident that Aomine would know what he was doing. There was a moment that seemed to stretch out as Aomine retrieved a condom from its wrapper and rolled it down himself.       

Aomine took the innocuous-looking bottle up next and after dispensing a generous amount in his hands, he slid them slowly over Tetsu's cock – not where the other had expected him to go. But they were firm, determined strokes, aided by the lubricant, and soon enough Kuroko had fisted the sheets in a tight grip that whitened his knuckles as his head tried to dig back into the mattress. It was this moment that Aomine had waited for, and after replenishing his supply of lubricant, he began working slowly but insistently, first one, then two, and then three, fingers inside of Tetsu who had arched at the unfamiliar feeling and was biting his lip while struggling to stay quiet. Aomine noticed, of course he did. He stopped his preparations for a moment, realizing that maybe he should briefly change tactics.

Rather than scold him for trying to hide his reactions, Aomine leaned down to kiss Tetsu. His tongue traced lightly over the other’s lips, as if to soothe the marks made by Tetsu’s teeth and when his lips parted, Aomine began exploring his mouth as if he had all the time in the world. It gave Kuroko something else to focus on for a moment and as Aomine intended, his hands left the sheets and were soon tentatively wandering over Aomine in an exploration of his own.

For his part, Kuroko was nearly convinced this entire thing must be a dream - it was far too surreal to be believed. But the heat of Aomine’s body certainly felt real, as did the flexing movement of his muscles when Kuroko ran his hands over the other’s back, even through the cloth of his shirt. He wasn’t imagining tasting the strange combination of mint from Aomine’s toothpaste and something salty that must be his own release – a realization that brought a wave of mortified reality down on his head as little else might have done. All that saved him from an embarrassed squeak was the understanding that Aomine hadn’t acted as if there was anything unusual in the act so he could do no less, even though it took almost all of his willpower to follow through on it.

Aomine pulled back to ask simply, “Better?” and on receiving a nod from Tetsu, he murmured, “Alright then.” It wasn’t much of anything in the way of true reassurance, but it worked somehow. Aomine picked up where he’d left off, reaching to position Tetsu’s legs the way he wanted and after taking a long breath himself, offered only, “Hold on.”

It proved to be a wise, if vague, suggestion because then he was pressing forward, moving so slowly but inevitably to fill Kuroko. There was naturally resistance as Aomine pushed past the tight ring of muscle, and Kuroko wasn’t the only one to let out a curse at the sensation. Aomine waited just long enough to feel the slight ease as Tetsu adjusted before he continued.  There was a short period where it was clear Tetsu was not exactly having fun, so Aomine very carefully pulled Tetsu’s hips to a higher angle and on the next thrust, found precisely what he’d hoped to and Tetsu’s eyes flew open in shocked pleasure at the hit to his prostate.

Aomine’s self-satisfied smirk at that moment would have earned him a punch to the face if Kuroko hadn’t wanted to feel that sensation again so he resisted the impulse in favor of another whispered “Please, Aomine-kun...”

In this at least, they were in perfect agreement and Aomine resumed moving over Tetsu, keeping watch on his face even as the heat was building inside of him. Kuroko’s expression switched from a slightly pinched look of discomfort to one that was clearly luxuriating in the sensation of Aomine’s body inside of him. Aomine’s position changed as he lowered his torso so he could brace himself against the mattress for increased leverage, but he kept Tetsu’s hips elevated by wrapping his legs around his waist. Tetsu took the hint, exerting pressure of his own to stay there.

Aomine had every intention of drawing this out with teasing thrusts and words, but he lost his chance when Kuroko’s glazed eyes managed to find his own and he murmured, “It feels so good now, Aomine-kun. I’m glad it’s you, I feel this way because of you…” he trailed off but the hoarsely voiced words did enough to disrupt Aomine’s self-control that the taller male lost any pretense of smoothly orchestrated movements and was going only with instinctual thrusts that weren’t timed or perfect, but somehow their speed and force managed to enflame the intensity for both of them anyway.

While he’d earlier mused that Tetsu was easy to satisfy, he was slightly chagrined to realize that with Tetsu, Aomine apparently wasn’t any better. They managed to finish together, but really only due to Aomine’s fiercely competitive instincts that allowed him to notice Tetsu wasn’t quite there before he changed the pressure just enough to push him over.

Aomine just managed to stop himself from completely falling on top of Tetsu, but he still ended up half-covering him. He was damp from sweat and felt a warm, lazy contentment sweep through him. His breath matched Tetsu’s for labored exhaustion, but there was a very necessary chore to take care of before he could go to sleep. Aomine carefully pulled away from Tetsu, who groaned weakly at the sensation, before he quickly disposed of the condom in the small trash bin. He was a little taken aback to realize that for all intents and purposes, he was fully clothed. Aomine pulled off his shirt and pants, the fabric hadn’t hindered his movements but he realized that probably wasn’t what Tetsu had expected for his first time. He mentally shrugged before he used the soft shirt to wipe Tetsu’s stomach clean but Aomine thought they would both be due for a shower before too much longer.

He surveyed the bedding and quickly pulled Tetsu further away from the side that bore the worst damage and ended up with them curled up facing each other. Kuroko didn’t protest and just snuggled tiredly against Aomine, his head seeming to find the perfect pillow on Aomine’s shoulder with his mouth pressed against the dampened skin there.

Kuroko’s eyes were closed and he was already halfway unconscious when he heard Aomine ask him if he was okay. He opened one eye with effort before answering, a muted effort at humor coming through. “Aomine-kun, don’t be stupid. You’re undoubtedly good at this, but I’m not that fragile.”

Aomine barked out a laugh of agreement. “No, I guess I meant…are you okay we did this? I know you said you hadn’t found the right guy yet –”

Kuroko brought a hand up to cover Aomine’s mouth and stop whatever nonsensical thing he was trying to get out. Kuroko was tired and wanted to sleep, but this was something he supposed he had to say eventually. “I may have slightly misled you, Aomine-kun. I’d already found the right guy; I just didn’t know he was an option. Momoi-san couldn’t have found my type for me because I had already met you – it was you all along, Aomine-kun.”

The shock that blazed through him at those words chased away the languorous peace he’d been feeling and Aomine stiffened in surprise.  Kuroko knew it wasn’t meant to be a rejection but it still slightly stung. “I’m not asking you to marry me, Aomine-kun. I’m just saying I don’t regret this. Don’t overthink it.”

The mood had been broken though and they both knew it. Both of them were embarrassed, for different reasons, but Kuroko in particular felt exposed and vulnerable and wished he hadn’t said those things. What had possessed him? Aomine on the other hand was processing the confession differently; he couldn’t quite reconcile the idea that Tetsu, who’d been quietly supportive of his various romantic escapades, had been harboring some sort of secret affection for him.

Kuroko swallowed against a choking feeling, he wasn’t going to cry, he absolutely refused to do that. He was tired in a whole different way now and pushed himself away from Aomine. “I don’t want this to ruin anything Aomine-kun. Let’s forget it happened.” The stoic resolve in his statement gave every indication he intended to dedicate himself to precisely that enterprise. He got off the bed and was gathering up his clothing in seconds, exiting the room and shutting the door behind him with a quiet click that seemed to resound far more loudly than should be possible.

Aomine hadn’t been able to say anything. He wanted to, he knew he should reassure Tetsu that everything was fine, but he couldn’t. He’d been thrown by the confession in a way he didn’t understand – was it because it reminded him of what an utter bastard he’d been before Seirin had defeated him that first year of high school? Was it the possibility that all along, Tetsu had cared for him as more than a friend, even then? When he’d been so apathetic and disconnected from everything, even Tetsu himself?

He vaulted off the bed to go after Tetsu, again with no clear plan in mind, but he’d put his pants back on at least and headed out to the hallway when he stumbled briefly. Looking down, he saw a neatly folded pile just beyond the door – Tetsu had left new sheets, pillowcases, and even a fresh comforter to replace the bedding they’d disrupted and soiled with their exertions. For some reason this pissed him off even though it was clearly meant to be a considerate action. Firming his jaw in some type of stubborn resolution, he ducked back into his room, pocketing the lube and condoms before exiting again.

With quick strides he made his way to Tetsu’s room and opened without knocking, ignoring the other’s surprised flinch at the abrupt entry. Tetsu had apparently been planning to take another shower, he was gathering up a new towel anyway. He’d put on a robe and there was one particular feature of this garment that Aomine planned to take advantage of.  Aomine hadn’t said anything yet, just kept walking until Tetsu was backing up and he hit the side of his bed. Aomine pushed him gently so that he was sitting on the side of the mattress.

Still without speaking, Aomine reached down and pulled the belt out of the robe’s loops, causing the loose folds of fabric to fall open. He leaned down to kiss Tetsu, something almost angry in the gesture, as if his frustration couldn’t be voiced and he needed to express himself this way. Kuroko reached  up to push him back, he wasn’t sure a repeat performance was a good idea. But Aomine had anticipated that and captured his hand, using the belt to form a makeshift binding for both of his hands and soon Kuroko found his hands restricted behind him. He might have lost his balance altogether if Aomine wasn’t holding him steady.

Although neither of them had deigned to speak yet, they were still communicating in a way. Aomine rearranged Tetsu so he was lying on the mattress, drawing his bound arms up and over his head, pressing them against the surface in a silent command to keep them there. Because he was only wearing a robe, Aomine’s access to Kuroko’s skin wasn’t particularly hindered. Despite the harsher emotion that had been driving him when he first entered, Aomine had gentled his touch and was ghosting his hands over Tetsu’s body in a way that was part exploration and part apology.

Kuroko didn’t know what to make of this. He was supremely skeptical that Aomine had managed to have some type of epiphany in the few minutes since he’d left the other’s room. On the other hand, his body was already anticipating more of Aomine’s touches and closeness and he found he was bargaining with himself that he could enjoy it for just a little longer, couldn’t he?

It was not until Aomine pressed a soft kiss to Kuroko’s collarbone that the smaller man ventured a protest. “Aomine-kun, I don’t think we should do this again. Please untie me.”

Aomine changed the kiss to a brief but sharp bite. “I disagree; I definitely think we should do this again. I think we should do it several more times in fact.” He soothed the small mark he’d made with a kiss and began repeating that pattern seemingly at random – moving to Tetsu’s shoulder and then up to his throat before back down to the place right over his erratically beating heart.

Kuroko grew restless under these ministrations and finally turned his head to the side and a single tear leaked out. He was so incredibly torn between wanting to continue and wanting to protect whatever relationship they could still have that he didn’t even have the words to vocalize his confusion. Aomine perhaps sensed this, but he didn’t stop. He just asked, quietly and seriously, “Let me try again, Tetsu, please?”

When Kuroko turned his head back to meet Aomine’s eyes, he could easily see the carnal heat that hinted at his immediate agenda, but there was something underneath it, too – an uncertainty that mirrored his own. While it might have served as a reinforcement that they should stop, for some reason it made Kuroko feel better, it wasn’t just him, then. He nodded, unable to say anything, but it was enough.

This time Kuroko didn’t have the freedom to reach for Aomine and he was forced to accept the pacing that Aomine chose – and Aomine was ruthlessly slow this time, drawing out every touch and kiss so that Kuroko was soon drowning in the overwhelming sensuality of it.  He’d been nearly methodical in raising Kuroko’s arousal right to the edge and then backing it down and repeating the cycle until finally Kuroko sobbed out, “Aomine-kun, please let me come.”

Aomine hadn’t told Kuroko to beg, but it was what he had been waiting for nonetheless. By the time he finally removed his pants and put on another condom, Kuroko was crying for an entirely different reason, in between his frustrated pleas for Aomine to let him come or at least let him touch the other male – both requests that Aomine had so far denied.

He still didn’t untie Kuroko, but he did let him come – with throaty praises of his patience and how good he looked this way, Aomine’s hands were stroking his aching flesh in a rhythm that was finally, mercifully, designed to bring him relief rather than continue to torment him. Kuroko couldn’t have stopped this orgasm if he’d wanted to and he most certainly didn’t want to. This climax was different. Perhaps because Aomine had kept him on edge for so long, or maybe because his reserves were simply shot, but it felt like he lost himself for a minute and it was only Aomine’s voice, his scent, and his body that kept Kuroko connected to anything at all. He didn’t get much chance to rest though, as Aomine began pursuing his own climax while Kuroko was still coming down from his own.

It sent him back up, and when he came this time, Kuroko truly couldn’t handle anything else and he sank into unconsciousness almost immediately – there would be no opportunity to have any awkward pillow confessions this time at least. Aomine wasn’t far behind him and had time only to untie Kuroko from the makeshift binding before the other's blue eyes were closing sleepily. Aomine laughed at this and after repeating the same necessary chore as he’d done before, he went to sleep with his arms wrapped around Tetsu.

When Aomine woke up, it was because Nigou was licking his face. Tetsu wasn’t there though. Aomine ducked away from the affectionate dog and looked around, he could see from the window that it was dark outside. He didn’t hear anything in the apartment, but that really didn’t mean anything since Tetsu was so quiet. He got up and his body had some faint twinges that spoke to the intensity of his efforts that evening.  The nap had clarified some things for him, perhaps along with waking up in Tetsu’s bed and realizing it would have been even better for the other male to be there, too.

Aomine got up and headed for the shower, not surprised to see the evidence that Tetsu had already been there with the second damp towel on the dying rack. He showered quickly and padded back to his room to change. He raised an eyebrow to see that Tetsu had changed the sheets and made the bed. Well, if he could fix his earlier misstep, he wouldn’t be making use of that again.

Aomine went in search of his erstwhile bed-partner, finding him in the kitchen. It was an odd experience, since that had been where they started their encounter a few hours before. Nigou had joined him and seemed to be looking back and forth between them, possibly sensing the uneasy atmosphere. He gave a single inquiring bark and wagged his tail encouragingly at Aomine – a clear message to fix this on his face.

Kuroko blushed at seeing him again and shuffled awkwardly for a moment before speaking without meeting his gaze. “I’m making dinner; I’ll call you when it’s ready.”  It was a clear dismissal.

Aomine started to just nod and leave to give Tetsu some space, but then he felt that wasn’t the right thing to do. He moved so that he was hugging Tetsu from behind in a hold that was firm enough to prevent the smaller male from escaping even though Kuroko simply stood stiffly in his embrace.

“I’m sorry, Tetsu. I panicked when you said that before. But the past few months have been among the best of my life and it’s because I’m sharing them with you. I didn’t recognize that for what it was. I didn’t mean to react like that, it just surprised me because I hadn’t thought about why I feel this way with you. But it just occurred to me…the reason everything always seems better here and why I never really wanted to try to have a relationship with anyone else. You were right in front of me, and I was too stupid to see it, but it was you all along, wasn’t it?”

Kuroko had closed his eyes as Aomine spoke. When the other seemed to be finished, he reached up and behind to draw Aomine’s head down closer to his. “You’re an idiot, Aomine-kun.” The words were relatively devoid of any clues as to what he was thinking, but Aomine could sense the small smile anyway and he laughed.

“Is that so? And what does that say about you, then?”

Kuroko shrugged, still facing away from Aomine but smiling a little more openly now. “Apparently, you’re my type of idiot.”

Aomine grinned. He could work with that.

Nigou snorted and went to the living room and jumped on the sofa. Apparently his two humans were finally ready to work through whatever had kept them apart. He approved, but he wasn’t thrilled about this delay with his meal. However, as the tentative happiness and affection between the humans seemed to gain ground while they spoke softly in the kitchen, Nigou was prepared to allow for an exception to the schedule – just this one time of course.


End file.
